Table



Get. 9, 1934.-

c. J. MILLER 1,976,083

TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 30, 1932 ATTORNEY Get. 9, 1934. c. J, MILLER 1,976,083

TABLE Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES eAres'r os F cE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to drop leaf tables and the primary objects are to rigidly support a drop leaf in its raised position by sliding the adjacent legs of the table into supporting position below the raised leaf; to guide the legs in a novel manner to insure free sliding movement between their inner and outer positions; to provide an apron below the table top for closing the space between the upper ends of the legs when the legs are dis.- posed in either their inner or outer positions; to firmly hold the slidable legs when they are disposed in either their inner or outer positions to insure rigidity; and to provide a table which is simple and economical in construction. Selected embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and therein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the underside of a table embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view showing a corner of the slidable leg construction;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of a table embodying another form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 6-6 on Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of a corner of the slidable leg construction used in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, 8 is a table top and 9, 9 are drop leaves secured to the table top by 5 hinges 10. Four legs 11 are provided and the legs at corresponding ends are joined by rails 12, 12 connected to the upper parts of the legs in a suitable manner as by mortise and tenon joints 13. Corresponding ends of plates 14 are secured to the upper ends of the legs 11 and the plates on the same side of the table are extended toward each other. Two pairs of guide strips 15 are secured adjacent the side edges and to the underside of the top 8 by screws 16 or the like. The plates 14 at corresponding sides of the table are engaged with the underside of the top 8 disposed between a pair of guide strips 15. The side edges of the plates 14 are tapered and slidably engage correspondingly tapered sides on the strips 15. The upper faces of the plates are relieved as indicated at 17 to reduce friction. Depending rails 18, 18 are secured to the outwardly disposed strips 15 of each pair of strips and preferably the ends of these rails are spaced from the ends of the guide strips. Rails 19 are secured to the underside of each of the plates14 by suitable securing devices, such as dowel pins 20, and the rails 19 on corresponding sides of the table extend from the legs 11 toward each other. The ends of the rails 19 are connected to the adjacent legs 11 in a suitable manner as by the mortise and tenon joints 21. The inner ends of the plates 14 have portions thereof cut away to provide tongues '22 and the tongues on the plates 14 disposed between the same pair of guide strips are oppositely dis- 6&- posed so as to interfit when the plates are arranged in their inner positions at which time all four legs 11 are disposed beneath the table top 8 and the drop leaves 9 hang downwardly substantially parallel with the legs 11 as shown at the right end of the table in Fig. l. The legs 11 interconnected by a rail 12 and the plates 14 and rails 19 connected to these legs constitute a unit which is slidable endwise of the table. When a drop leaf is raised as shown at the left end of Fig. 1 and is to be supported in this position, the unit at this end of the table is slid outwardly, the legs 11 preferably being disposed in a position slightly beyond a medial line extending transversely of the drop leaf 9, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. Stops 23 are secured on the bottom of the drop leaves 9 and prevent the unit 11 from being so moved that the plates 14 will disengage the strips 15. These stops include tapered tongues 24 which fit into tapered openings 25 in the rails 12 and firmly hold the unit in its outer position to insure rigidity. A raised drop leaf 9 is firmly supported because the legs of the table are disposed directly below the raised leaf and the tongues 22 also insure rigidity by preventing tilting of the plates 14 for these tongues 22 are in engagement with the guide strips 15 in an amount greater than the plates 14 would engage these strips if the tongues 22 were not provided and the ends of the plates were adapted to abut. The extent of the rails 19 is such that, when the strips 12 engage the stops 23, the free ends of the rails 19 slightly overlap the ends of the rails 18. Hence the rails 12, 19 and 18 provide an apron entirely about the table and avoid the unsightly space usually found when the slidable portions of a table are moved into their outer positions. Stops 26, similar to the stops 23, are secured to the bottom of the table top 8 and limit inward movement of the legs. These stops also include tapered tongues which extend into the tapered openings 25 in the rails 12 to firmly hold the legs at their inner position and increase the rigidity of the table.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7, I have shown a table ineluding a top 8' and drop leaves 9, 9' secured to the top by hinges 10. Four legs 11' are provided and legs at corresponding ends are connected by rails 12. Corresponding ends of rails 27 are secured to the upper parts of the legs 11' and these rails include portions which extend past each other. Two pairs of guide strips 15 are secured adjacent the side edges and to the underside of the top 8, and these guide strips include undercut portions providings lips 28 which fit into grooves 29 in the adjacent faces of the rails 27 and sides of the legs to retain and guide the legs which are slidable endwis'e of the table. When a drop leaf 9' is disposed in its raised position and the legs 11' are slid into position therebelow, the rails 27 connected to the legs 11 positioned below the raised drop leaf slide relative to the rails 27 connected to the other of the legs 11 and when the legs 11' at both ends of the table are arranged below the drop leaves 9, the inner ends of the rails 27 are but slightly overlapped so that these rails in connectioii with the rails 12 provide an apron closing the space between the upper parts of the legs below the top 8'. In this form of the invention the upper ends of the legs directly engage the undersides of the top and the leaves.

It is to be understood that the groove and lip arrangement shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 can be substituted for the plate and guide strip arrangenient illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, and in place of providing the plates 14, the rails 19 will have grooves similar to the grooves 29 formed in opposite faces thereof and in which grooves lips on the guide strips will be fitted.

I have illustrated and described my invention as used with a drop leaf table but it is to be understood that'it may be incorporatedin other articles and that variations and modifications may be made. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and modifications as fall within the purview of the following claims; 7

I claim: V

1. A table including a top, to opposite ends of the top,

drop leaves hinged guide strips secured to said top inwardly of the side edges thereof and cooperating to provide tapered grooves having the narrower portions thereof at the outer faces of said guides, units at opposite ends of said table and adapted to support said table with said leaves lowered or with one or both of said leaves raised, said units each comprising a pair of legs having an end rail extending therebetween, each of said units including a slide plate extending from each leg substantially at right angles to the end rail of the unit, said slide plates having the sides thereof tapered to interfit in said grooves, said slide plates and grooves being arranged to afford interengagement of said plates with said guides in an amount greater than one-half of the length of said top to thereby afford substantial support for said table when said units are extended outwardl'y from said top to support said leaves when they are raised, side rails depending from said top and having the ends thereof spaced inwardly of the ends of the top, and side rails'on said units extending parallel with said plates and adapted to cooperate with the side rails depending from said top to provide continuous side rails on said table when said units are located in an inner position to permit said drop leaves to depend from said table or when said units are located in an outer position to support said drop leaves in raised position.

2. A table including a top, a drop leaf hinged to said top, a unit including a pair of legs at the end of said table and slidably connected to said top and adapted to support said table with the drop leaf in lowered or in raised position, said unit having an end rail extending between the legs thereof and said end rail having tapered openings therein and spaced from the top, a stop on said top and including a tongue spaced from the top and having tapered side edges to engage in one of said tapered openings, and a similar stop on the drop leaf to engage the other tapered opening, whereby the unit is firmly held in closed position with the drop lea-f lowered or in open position with the drop leaf raised and the unit is rigidly centered in each position.

CHARLES J. MILLER. 

